While the recognition of deleterious consequences of moisture as promotive of galvanic action and corrosion in electrical equipment, and avoidance of such consequences by various sealing, potting, etc., practices have been widely addressed, ready and relatively inexpensive measures for providing environmental-proofing of so-called "flat cable connectors" have remained heretofore largely unrealized. One effective approach, specific to flat multiconductor cable and insulation-piercing termination thereof, is set forth in commonly-assigned, copending U.S. application Ser. No. 77,560, filed on Sept. 21, 1979 and entitled "Environmental Seal and Method". As disclosed therein, the flat cable is sealed fully, by prescribed application of adhesive tape thereto, prior to insulation-piercing termination. Following such preassembly of cable and tape, the tape also presents complete exterior adhesive composition over the expanse thereof to be insulation-pierced. Accordingly, in the course of forcing contacts through the cable insulation into gas-tight connection with cable conductors, the exterior adhesive is directed into fluid-sealed relation with the contacts adjacent both opposite sides of the cable.
Typically, such insulation-piercing contacts extend opposite their cable-piercing ends to pins or sockets which are supported in the connector housing in so-called "D" configuration, an industry standard output terminal arrangement for interconnection purposes. Where environmental-proofness is to extend through the interconnect, i.e., throughout the connection interface of two such "D" connectors, the approach of the referenced copending application provides but a partial solution. Nor has a ready and relatively inexpensive solution complemental to the partial solution heretofore been known, as is seen from the discussion of prior art techniques set forth in the statement fi1ed herein pursuant to 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98.